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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29454507">The Stone Mason</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgesjungle2/pseuds/georgesjungle2'>georgesjungle2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen, Welcome to Sanditon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Love Confessions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:15:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29454507</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgesjungle2/pseuds/georgesjungle2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James Stringer is studying architecture at the university in London.  A young Charlotte Heywood reminds him of another young lady in Sanditon that he had a secret crush on for years.  When Miss Donovan shows up at the university, as Fred would always tell him-how will she ever know?, he admits his feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Stringer/Others</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Stone Mason</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Kim+Wilson+Pelletier">Kim Wilson Pelletier</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A short one for Stringer fans...</p><p>Last minute Be My Valentine challenge :) for the book club.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaitlyn Donovan looked across the courtyard where James Stringer was sitting with his friends.  She had admired him from afar during their childhood.  He had been there for her when the bullies had talked about how ugly her black hair made her look like a raven.  He had been there when the girls had made fun of her for being too tomboyish.  It was not her fault she was lanky for a girl.  But a few years older, she had not seen him since he had gone off to London to study architecture, against his father’s opinion.</p><p>She heard about it, basically daily, when she walked the streets of Sanditon admiring the stonework that the Stringer family had been known for.  He would come home on holidays, but he was a college student.  He could not be seen with a younger girl.  She had heard whispers in the bookstore though.  The Beauforts were always a source of idle gossip.  The little bits of news came around Mickelmas.</p><p>Mr. Stringer was in love with some freshman student by the name of Charlotte Heywood.  A fellow student in the architecture program, she came from a large family in a farm town called Willingden.  Whatever good came from there, Kaitlyn mumbled to herself.  The end of her fascination must come to an end she told herself daily.  It would no good thinking about James when his heart had been given, freely she might add, to another.  It was not that she had bad feelings towards James.  When it came to Charlotte Heywood though, she could only say God Bless Her Heart.  Charlotte Heywood had no idea that Kaitlyn Donovan existed or that her life had always revolved around James.</p><p>James was a good-looking guy.  Between working in construction as a young kid with his father, to playing on the cricket team, even the Beauforts thought he was a fine catch.  And he always spoke to her whenever he saw her.  Fred Robinson, James childhood friend, had remained behind working trade instead of going off to London.  Fred would talk about how James was working hard in London to prove himself more than just a son of a stone mason.  Fred had gone to visit James from time to time.</p><p>When Kaitlyn had got accepted to the university in the business program, Fred found out she would be touring the campus.  He had given her a ride and they had an enjoyable ride.  She had planned on visiting some sites in London while she was there, so she only needed a one-way ride.  She had relatives that lived not far from the campus, so after Fred had dropped her off, she wished him a safe journey.</p><p>The holidays had passed, and Kaitlyn had been in mostly a melancholy funk.  Who could blame her?  She had always thought James was her knight in shining armor.  She got along with Old Stringer and hardly anyone ever got along with him.  James’ mother had been keen on her as well, until her untimely death.</p><p>She glanced at the group across the way.  She imagined one of the young ladies with chestnut hair was Charlotte Heywood.  Kaitlyn let out a sigh.  It looked like the group was breaking up and the last thing she wanted to do was to have James walk by and not acknowledge her like he had done over Christmas.  The stab in the heart was brutal.  She quickly turned to escape, but apparently her brain and her limbs had not communicated very well.</p><p>Kaitlyn fell with a bit of pain in her ankle.  How embarrassing.  She did not realize that she had let out a small sound until a few students had stopped to ask if she was alright.  A young lady came up to her quickly.</p><p>“Are you alright?”  The young girl asked.</p><p>“I think so.  I think maybe I just forgot how to walk properly.  I shall be fine.”</p><p>“Here let me help you up.”  The young girl went to help her up but as soon as she put weight on it, it was obvious, it was at least sprained, and Kaitlyn collapsed again.  The young<br/>
girl looked up and around, then called to the gentlemen nearby and Kaitlyn cringed when she heard her call for James Stringer.</p><p>James came running up.  “What’s the matter, Charlotte?”  He said looking at the young lady then down towards Kaitlyn.  “Kaitlyn?”  Kaitlyn wanted to the ground to just swallow her up.  Of all the people to collapse in front of, in all of London, and she had to do it before them.</p><p>She glanced up.  “Mr. Stringer.”  She noticed his eyes snapped up at the formality.</p><p>“I believe it’s just sprained but she can’t put any weight on it.  I’ll go get Dr. Worchester’s cart.”</p><p>“I’ll be alright,” Kaitlyn began to object.</p><p>“Nonsense, it won’t be a minute,” James said nodding towards Charlotte as she went to do just that.  He knelt towards Kaitlyn.  “I didn’t know you would be here.”</p><p>“How would you?”  She said a little prim.</p><p>He looked at her.  “Oh, wait.  You are here for the tour, aren’t you?  You got accepted?”</p><p>The irony was not lost on her.  How long had she wanted to have this conversation and now that she did not care to have the conversation, he wanted to have the conversation.  “I did.  I haven’t decided.”  Not really.  She had quite a few colleges wanting her.  She did not slave away to get to the top for nothing.  She only chose here because he was here.  </p><p>When she heard that he was in love, well, she had been bent on taking the scholarship for the university in Paris.  Somewhere far away from Sanditon and London, somewhere far away from a broken heart.  She did not want to spend her first year avoiding seeing him holding hands or kissing this Charlotte Heywood girl.</p><p>She glanced at him underneath her eyelashes.  Good grief, was it possible he had gotten even better looking since she had seen him last?  It had been six weeks since the Christmas incidence and twelve since she had heard he was in love with Charlotte.</p><p>He smiled at her and she forgot she was supposed to not be happy that he was smiling at her.  He had given his heart to another.  And here the holiday that lingered near was Valentine’s Day.  Oh, how the Gods were mocking her in her misery.</p><p>“Was that Charlotte Heywood?”  She cursed herself for even asking.</p><p>James kept smiling and she could feel the pin pricks on her heart.  “It is.  I have been helping her with her geometry class.  Dr. Worchester is a real stickler.”</p><p>“I’ll remember that if I decide to come here.”</p><p>James’ smile faltered a bit.  “Are you sure you would want to go anywhere else?”</p><p>She looked at him.  “The university in Paris would be a nice change.  A fresh start.”</p><p>“A fresh start?  Something happened in Sanditon?”</p><p>Just my heart getting ripped out and stomped on by you, she whispered to herself in her brain.  “Isn’t that the purpose of college experiences?”</p><p>“I suppose, although I guess I expected you to come here.”</p><p>She shrugged her shoulders at him.  “Well, that was a long time ago when we had talked last.”</p><p>James was frowning at her again.  “it’s just, well, my father had mentioned it from time to time that you were looking forward to coming to London.”</p><p>“I had no idea your father even talked about me.”</p><p>James let out a light laugh.  “Well, he doesn’t say much when he does talk, but he always talked about things that were going on in Sanditon.  He’d always say he wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting ideas above my station.”</p><p>Kaitlyn wished someone had told her the same thing.  Not that James was above her station.  If anything, it was the other way around, but her grandparents held everyone to the same standard.  Either you were a gentleman or a lady, or a rogue and a temptress.  It did not matter if you were a sailor, tailor, duke, or duchess.  She was not required to find a suitable suitor among the ton, which is why they enjoyed living in Sanditon.  It was mildly fashionable, but it did not suffer from the identity complex of Brighton or Bath, where if you were not nobility, you were not anyone of importance.</p><p>“Here’s Charlotte with the cart.”  Before she realized it, James had picked her up as if she weighed nothing and sat her in the cart.  He was smiling, but she knew it was because Charlotte was back with the cart.  Kaitlyn let out a sigh without even realizing it until James laughed.  “Am I that boring now that I’m an old man?”</p><p>Kaitlyn flushed.  He was looking at her, like he had done all his life before.  Well, before her.  She had to pinch herself to reminder herself, he was in love with the girl next to him, not her.  She heard Charlotte laugh.</p><p>“You aren’t that old,” Charlotte said lightly.  Kaitlyn wished she had never come today.  It was worse than watching him afar making moon eyes at the girl she had not ever met.  It was grating to be in the presence of them.  If her ankle had not hurt that bad, she was sure she would had run all the way to Aunt Jane’s house.  But karma had decided it was not done with her.  She was sure she was being punished for something she had done and had gotten away with as a younger child.  “I’m Charlotte Heywood, by the way, since James is incapable of making a proper introduction.”</p><p>Kaitlyn forced herself to have a polite smile.  Years of proper etiquette schooling finally etched in her brain.  “I’m happy to meet you.  I’m Kaitlyn Donovan.”  Charlotte was smiling at her and it was unnerving as if she was in on some great secret.</p><p>James looked at her.  “Are you in London for a few days?”</p><p>“I had planned on it, but I guess I will have to see how my ankle feels tomorrow.”</p><p>“How about I take you by Dr. Fuchs office, just to be on the safe side?”  Charlotte asked.</p><p>“Oh, well, you can just drop me off at the administration building.  I’m meeting my aunt there.”</p><p>Charlotte glanced at James as if she were seeking his advice.</p><p>“You should probably listen to Charlotte and go see Dr. Fuchs.”  James urged her.</p><p>Well, I do not care to listen to Charlotte Heywood, Kaitlyn mumbled to herself.  Why didn’t she just stay home?  She needed out of this cart and as far away from James Stringer as her little legs could carry her.</p><p>“Well, if Dr. Fuchs is in the administration building, then how can I refuse?”</p><p>“He’s not,” Charlotte began to say.</p><p>“Well then if you would just be kind enough to drop me at the admin building.  I’m sure my aunt will make sure I’m properly attended to.”</p><p>“I see you still aren’t afraid to speak your mind,” James quipped at her.</p><p>Kaitlyn looked at him.  How she would really like to give him a piece of her mind she thought.  “Shall we be off?  I’m sure you have things you would rather be doing.”  She needed away from here.  Charlotte nodding off to James.  “Goodbye Mr. Stringer,” Kaitlyn said as Charlotte drove off.</p><p>Charlotte helped her into the administration building.  “Would you like for me to wait with you?”</p><p>Kaitlyn looked at Charlotte.  Why was this girl trying to be so nice to her?  Didn’t she know she was Kaitlyn’s nemesis?  “I’ll be fine, Miss Heywood.”</p><p>“Alright then.”  Charlotte started to walk away but turned back towards her.  “I’m really glad I got to meet you.”</p><p>Kaitlyn watched as Charlotte walked away and reached over to the tissue box.  She was pretty, young, nice, and capable.  It was no wonder why James had fallen in love with her.  Aunt Jane found her still clinging to the box of tissues.</p><p>“My goodness, you are a mess.”  Jane had brought a wheelchair with her.  Kaitlyn got home and after getting settled, she promptly decided to stay in bed where she could be miserable by herself.  She had been in such a state that she did not even watch television or check her social media.</p><p>Aunt Jane had checked on her the next morning.  She had managed to limp to the bathroom without needing assistance.  Her ankle was better, but she was still not able to properly walk on it.  She chose to spend another day in bed.  It was gloomy out anyway.  Aunt Jane knocked on her door mid-morning.</p><p>“You have some visitors downstairs,” she said looking at her niece as she sat down on the bed.  “I wish you would tell me what is troubling you.  Does your ankle hurt that bad?”</p><p>“Please Aunt Jane, just let me be.  I will be alright.  I just don’t want to talk about it, nor do I care to see anyone.”  The only person she could think of visiting her would be Fred anyway.</p><p>Two days later, Kaitlyn had finally gotten around to pulling herself out of bed.  She had missed the tours for the university.  It did not matter anyway.  Sometime in the last few days, she knew she could not go there.  She had only seen him for the briefest of moments and had a complete meltdown.  She would need a clean slate.</p><p>Kaitlyn got up and took a hot shower.  After eating breakfast with Aunt Jane, she had decided to walk a bit around Westminster Abbey and a few other tourists’ sights.</p><p>“Why don’t you call your friends that came by to check on you?  I’m sure they would love to go out in town with you.”</p><p>Kaitlyn gave her aunt a brave smile.  “I will.”  Inside she was saying, I will not.  She was sure seeing Fred Robinson would only cause her to have another breakdown.  She was determined to have her fresh start.</p><p>As she sat in the tea shop near the Abbey, she was reminding herself just that.  She had enjoyed the tour, but with all its history and architecture, by the end of the tour, she could only think about James and how many times he had probably came to study it.  Her clean slate had gotten dirty.  She decided she needed to go somewhere where he would not like to go.  She checked in on Facebook and posted some pictures, before heading off to another location.  Her next point of interest, Highgate Cemetery.</p><p>The cemetery had some notoriety persons of interest.  Charles Green, a balloonist, which Kaitlyn had always enjoyed watching hot air balloons as a child.  The artist, Charles Lucy, who painted the Landing of the Pilgrims Fathers.</p><p>So, as she walked around, her mood began to lighten.  Ironic, since she was in a cemetery full of dead people.  But as she looked at a particular grave belonging to William Clifford, the father of geometric algebra, she found all roads led back to James Stringer.  Even in a cemetery, there was no escape.</p><p>“It must be my lucky day,” a familiar voice said as it approached.  Kaitlyn looked to find James Stringer approaching her.  Karma decided it was not done with her yet.  Maybe, she would just need to roll over and die.</p><p>“Well, that is true for one of us,” she mumbled.  At least, he appeared to be alone.  “What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be in class or something?”</p><p>“I had taken a late lunch.  I stopped by the other day.  Did you aunt not say anything?”</p><p>Kaitlyn shrugged.  “She didn’t say who had stopped by and the only person I could think of was Fred.”</p><p>“Yes, he was the one that told me where I could find you.  I had no idea you had relatives in these parts.  You never really talked about them.”  James studied her.  Why was she acting this way?  “I take it your ankle is all better.”</p><p>“Yes, all better.”</p><p>“Going to tour the university then?”</p><p>“I missed the tour dates.  It doesn’t matter anyway.”  She said as she turned to walk towards the entrance.</p><p>“Hey, wait up,” he said as he had to catch up.  He lightly grabbed her arm.  “Just what is your problem?”</p><p>She looked at him.  “My problem?”</p><p>“Yes, you barely act like you know me.”</p><p>There was a furl between her brows.  “I don’t know you.  Not anymore.”  She shook off his hand and walked away again.</p><p>“What the hell does that mean?”  He said catching back up to her.</p><p>“I’m not in the mood to be sociable.”  Kaitlyn snapped at him.</p><p>He let out a huff.  “No kidding Sherlock.  You’re being a complete arse.”</p><p>She stopped to look at him.  “What?  I am?  I am?” She said twice to reinforce the message.  “You came home for Christmas and completely did not say two words to me when you passed me at the bookstore, not to mention haven’t said much of anything since you have gone to London and you are saying I’m being an arse?”</p><p>James swallowed hard as he looked at her.  She was a sight when she was all reeled up.</p><p>“Why don’t you just go talk to Miss Heywood?  I’m sure she will find it all so entertaining.”  Kaitlyn stomped off.</p><p>“What does Charlotte have to do with this?”  He said as she walked off but got no answer.  He was more confused now than he had ever been in his life.  When he left to go to the university, he knew he would be busy.  He had a good idea for design, which got him the scholarship that he desperately needed to pay for college to begin with.  He needed to graduate top in his class.  However, Dr. Worchester had dropped a bomb shell on him when he talked about Sanditon.</p><p>Kaitlyn Donovan was not just some lowly girl of basic means.  Her father had been a Viscount.  Her grandparents had decided to raise her in Sanditon away from the hobnob of London.  He could not have serious designs on a girl with that much privilege, despite knowing her all these years.  But he did, despite his father reminding him that it was not good to set his goal so high.  So, he did what he thought best.  He stopped talking to her.  Fred had always liked her anyway, so he thought with him not being there, that maybe Fred would have a chance.</p><p>It was not until Christmas when he heard that she had decline going out with him.  In fact, Fred said she had not gone out with anybody.  James had thought it strange.  She was beautiful (and well wealthy) and a complete hoot.  He had talked to Charlotte about her.  He was always talking about her.  Charlotte had always told him that unless he told her how he felt that she would never know.  Charlotte had been the one to tell him that he should not give up just because he thought she was above his station.  Ambition was a fine quality to have when one was prepared to work for it.</p><p>James went back to his apartment and found Fred.  “I just don’t understand.  You should had seen her.  She was,” he took a drink of his beer, “she was so angry.”</p><p>Fred laughed at him.  “Of course, she is.  You are here and she is there.  You basically stopped talking to this girl, who practically knows you just as well as I without any reason.<br/>
Then, there’s the whole Beaufort girls.”</p><p>James looked at him.  “Beaufort girls?”</p><p>“Yes, you know they talked about everyone.  They heard you were tutoring some girl named Charlotte.  And I do not mean tutoring her academically if you catch my drift.”</p><p>“But that is utter nonsense!”</p><p>Fred gave him a dead pan look.</p><p>“Oh, God.  No wonder.”  James ran his hands through his hair.  “I’ve got to go.”</p><p>Fred watched his friend grab his coat and head out the door.  “You might want your keys!”  Fred laughed again as he watched James look around for them.</p><p>James arrived at Aunt Jane’s shortly after.  “Oh, Mr. Stringer,” she said as he was admitted to the parlor room.  “I didn’t know we were to expect you.”</p><p>“I’m sorry to barge in, but is Kaitlyn here?  I really need to talk to her.”</p><p>Aunt Jane studied the young man.  “She’s not feeling well I’m afraid.  She came home and went to bed.”  She watched him closely as he fiddled with his hat.  “I shall be happy to tell her you stopped by.”</p><p>He let out a sigh.  “If it is all the same ma’am, can you at least see if she is still awake?  I really need to speak with her.”</p><p>“My goodness, you make this sound like life or death.”</p><p>He looked at her.  It was.  He had been so stupid.  He just needed to lay it all out there.  If she did not want anything to do with him afterwards, well, he would think of that later.<br/>
“It could be.”</p><p>Aunt Jane went upstairs.  “There’s a Mr. Stringer here to see you.  He seems awful worried some and needs to speak with you.”</p><p>Kaitlyn just shook her head.  “Just tell him to go Aunt Jane.”</p><p>“No,” Jane said looking at her niece.  “If you are going to reject a suitor, at least be good enough to do it yourself.”</p><p>Kaitlyn let out a huff.  “He is not a suitor.”  Jane gave her an inquisitive look, but Kaitlyn dragged herself out of bed.  Kaitlyn took a deep breath before going into the parlor room.  </p><p>She did not know why James was there.  Certainly, after the cemetery it should be obvious there was nothing left to say.</p><p>She came into the room and James knew by her stance that it was going to be an uphill battle.</p><p>He took a calming breath.  “I accept.”</p><p>She gave him a confused look.  “you accept what.”</p><p>“Your apology.”</p><p>“My apology?”</p><p>“Yes, you left in the middle of a substantial conversation.”</p><p>“How does one have a substantial conversation in the cemetery?”</p><p>“Well, before you had decided to go storming off, I was trying to figure out what your problem was.”</p><p>“I don’t have a problem.”</p><p>“You most certainly do.  You have a temper.  You have always had.  I remember you giving Eddie Thatcher a blackeye in fourth grade.”</p><p>“He deserved it.”</p><p>“Rightly so, but you do have a tendency to just fly off the handle without getting your facts straight.”</p><p>“Is there a point to this conversation?”</p><p>He let out a sigh.  “First off, I didn’t mean to snub you at the bookshop.  I had my mind on something especially important and I was a nervous wreck.”  Kaitlyn swallowed.  The last thing she wanted to hear was about him and Charlotte.  “Second of all, there has nothing ever been between Charlotte and me.  She needed a tutor and I assisted.  Dr. Worchester has me tutoring several students to make extra money.  Third,” he let out a breath, “I thought it best when I left not to talk to you.  Fred was there and I thought maybe there was something there, then Dr. Worchester told me about your family and father always telling me I needed to stay grounded.”</p><p>“So, you just stop talking to me?”</p><p>“I know, I know.  But I am just a stone mason like my father and his before him.  What could I possibly offer a young lady with a family of viscounts?”</p><p>Kaitlyn looked at James.</p><p>His voice got low as he stood closer to her.  “I’m sorry Kaitlyn.  I had not meant to hurt you.  I thought it would be better.  It was not until Christmas when I heard you had got accepted to the university that I thought it might be possible you still might have feelings for me.  Your grandparents had told me you would be coming to London to visit the college.”  He took her hands into his.  “They had told me that I could court you proper if you wish.”</p><p>Kaitlyn looked at James and whispered, “you want to court me?”</p><p>James leaned his forehead against hers.  Was it possible that his feelings could be returned five times over?  “Yes.”</p><p>“Even with my temper?”  She said lightly.</p><p>“Even with your temper and right hook.  I’ll just have to make sure to stay out of harm’s way.”</p><p>“James?’  Kaitlyn said tenderly looking at him.  She had not been properly kissed, but before James left for the evening, he rectified that.</p><p>He smiled at her as they stood on the porch of Aunt Jane’s house.  “Happy Valentine’s Day Kaitlyn.”</p><p>“Happy Valentine’s Day James.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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